10 July 2014 #Employment
An employment tribunal has found that the Met Police told staff to delete records on sex and race discrimination against one of its employees.
Firearms officer Carol Howard, 35, was "singled out and targeted" for nearly a year, a panel ruled. An officer looking at her complaints was asked to delete references in a report into discrimination related to race or sex, it said.
The Met said it was "disappointed" at the findings but would review the case.
The tribunal said the Met "directly discriminated" against Ms Howard "on the grounds of sex and race" between 31 January and 29 October 2012. It also found that a detective sergeant tasked with looking at Ms Howard`s fairness at work (FAW) complaint was asked to delete references to discrimination and harassment relating to sex or race in a report.
The tribunal said that it was "very concerned the [Metropolitan Police`s] policy of not allowing Fairness at Work Advisers to make assessments of discrimination and of instructing to delete them when they do so, might mislead complainants and tribunals into believing that the [investigating officer] has not found any discrimination when in fact he or she has done so".